The Cisco
® Small Business Smart Switches are cost-effective switching solutions that are ideal for small businesses, the network edge, or workgroups within larger organizations. These easy-to-install, high-speed switches offer many of the same quality of service (QoS) and security features found in more expensive full Layer 2 managed switches, but without their complexity. The Cisco SLM224P 24-Port 10/100 + 2-Port Gigabit Smart Switch (Figure 1) offers twenty-four 10/100 copper ports with two shared Gigabit copper or optical Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) uplink interfaces for connecting the switch to the core network. The simplified user interface is an intuitive management tool that enables you to quickly utilize the comprehensive feature set of the switch, resulting in a better-optimized network.

The Cisco SLM224P includes numerous QoS features to help ensure that traffic is prioritized properly to deliver the best possible user experience for real-time applications such as voice and video or bandwidth-intensive graphic/video file uploads or downloads. With its Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) snooping feature, the Cisco SLM224P limits IP multicast traffic (such as real-time presentations, video conferences, and online gaming) to only the ports that have requested it, enabling the rest of the network to operate at peak efficiency. Additional QoS capabilities such as IEEE 802.1p priority tagging, differentiated services code point (DSCP), and four hardware queues also maintain quality for real-time applications such as voice and video. Network traffic can be optimized with the switch's 802.1Q VLAN support, which enables you to quickly segregate network traffic by department or workgroup. VLANs also provide an additional layer of security by keeping sensitive data separated from other workgroups on the network.

For wireless or voice over IP (VoIP) deployments, the Cisco SLM224P supports the IEEE 802.3af standard for Power over Ethernet (PoE). This eliminates the need for additional power cables or a nearby power outlet, making installation simple and inexpensive and allowing networking devices such as cameras and wireless access points to be positioned in optimal locations, like ceilings and walls - even outdoors.

Network security is an absolute requirement for any business, and preventing unauthorized access to the company network is critical. The Cisco SLM224P secures the network through 802.1X port authentication, which prompts end users to provide their username and password before they are permitted to pass data. User access can also be controlled through the switch's MAC-based filtering capability, which allows network access only to those devices or workstations that have been authorized as identified by their MAC address. The many-to-one or one-to-one port mirroring feature of the Cisco SLM224P enables you to monitor the type of traffic being transmitted on the network.

The Cisco SLM224P includes features for quickly expanding and growing your network. To substantially increase network throughput speeds, especially useful for companies whose employees are routinely backing up their hard drives to a company server or storage platform, the switch supports link aggregation, which allows multiple high-bandwidth trunks between switches to be set up. Link aggregation also provides a level of availability and redundancy, as traffic will continue to flow even if one of the network links breaks. The Cisco SLM224P's Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) support and storm control features help to control planned or inadvertent cable loops when switches are connected to one another. These loops can cause broadcast or multicast storms in the network that severely limit its performance. With these features, you can confidently build a mesh of switches and quickly expand your network to support your growing workforce.

Limited lifetime warranty with return to factory replacement, one year telephone support and software fixes for the warranty term.

Service & Support

Cisco Small Business switches are backed by the Cisco Small Business Support Service, which provides affordable peace-of-mind coverage. This subscription-based service helps you protect your investment and derive maximum value from Cisco Small Business products. Delivered by Cisco and backed by your trusted partner, this comprehensive service includes software updates, access to the Cisco Small Business Support Center, and expedited hardware replacement.

Cisco Small Business products are supported by professionals in Cisco Small Business Support Center locations worldwide who are specifically trained to understand your needs. The Cisco Small Business Support Community, an online forum, enables you to collaborate with your peers and reach Cisco technical experts for support information.

Cisco Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty

This Cisco Small Business product offers a limited lifetime hardware warranty with return to factory replacement and a 1-year limited warranty for fans and power supplies. In addition, Cisco offers telephone technical support at no charge for the first 12 months following the date of purchase and software bug fixes for the warranty term. To download software updates, go to:
http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/download/index.html.